An illustrated synopsis and keys to afrotropical genera of the epifamily Dolichopodoidae (Diptera: Empidoidea). Priamus Supplement 24: 1-98, 305 figs.
The use of the epifamily rank Dolichopodoidae (type genus Dolichopus Latreille, 1796) is proposed for the Dolichopodidae s. lat., incorporating paraphyletic families Dolichopodidae and Microphoridae and subfamily Parathalassiinae incertae sedis that shares features of both Dolichopodidae and Microphoridae. Additionally, the use of the epifamily rank Empidoidae (type genus Empis Linnaeus, 1758) is proposed for the rest families of the superfamily Empidoidea. A brief synopsis of 84 genera of Dolichopodidae s.s. and 3 genera of Microphoridae and Parathalassiinae is given along with illustration of habitus of some typical and rare afrotropical species. Revised keys to afrotropical genera of the family Dolichopodidae (Diptera)are compiled. Illustration of typical characters of most afrotropical genera is given. Dactylonotus meuffelsi Grichanov, 1998, is placed in synonymy to D. rudebecki Vanschuytbroeck, 1960 (syn. nov.). The following recombinations are also proposed: Amblypsilopus prysjonesi (Meuffels et Grootaert, 2007),comb. nov., Bickeliolus gerlachi (Meuffels et Grootaert, 2007), comb. nov., Lichtwardtia melanesiana (Bickel, 2008), comb. nov. The genus Machaerium Haliday, 1832 is recorded from the Afrotropics for the first time.